Coastal Navigation Introduction

We have made available a free five e-mail lesson introduction to Coastal Navigation covering Tides and Currents, Nautical charts, Magnetic compass, Plotting, Bearing, Fix and Aids to Navigation.

Free Introduction to Coastal Navigation delivered to your In box over five days.

Name:
Lastname:
E-Mail:

Tide or Current? Part 2

By using the Tide and Current Tables correctly you will be able to predict the depth at low and high water and be able to use the current to your advantage.

One question many boaters ask is how are the Tables arranged? One of the commercial books is arranged in alphabetical order while the Official Tables produced by the Canadian Hydrographic Service are arranged in order from seaward. They start at the western entrance of Juan de Fuca Strait, go down into Puget Sound and then northwards through the Strait of Georgia.

A Reference Port is where the Tidal height has been measured such as Fulford Harbour which is the Reference Port of the Southern Gulf Islands. There are tables of corrections to the Secondary Ports. A Reference Station gives the details of the currents and similarly there are tables of corrections to the Secondary Stations.

It is critical to understand that the time of low water stand and the time of the turn to flood do not normally occur at the same time. In the Sidney area, the difference of the time of low water stand and the turn to flood in Sidney Channel can be 1 hour and 40 minutes. Likewise the time of high water stand and the turn to ebb do not correspond.

Full details are contained in the Home Study Coastal Navigation Course